Posted Sunday, November 22, 2009 07:46 AM
Here's an interesting thing you should consider when you look at this game between the Magic and Raptors tomorrow.
Orlando last played Toronto a few weeks ago, IN Toronto. The game was on Sunday afternoon. The Magic opened as -6.5 favorites and closed at -5.5. The Magic were without Vince Carter, Rashard Lewis and Mickael Pietrus. Toronto had a healthy lineup(healthy in the sense that all of their key players were playing). The Magic manhandled Toronto and easily covered the spread. Having actually been at that game, orlando HUMILATED Toronto's defense. More so than usual. Open jump shot after open jump shot. 3 Point after 3 Pointer. Outplayd, outcoached... Domination.
Flash forward 4 weeks. The Maigc are back in Toronto for another Sunday afternoon tilt. This time Orlando is healthy! Well not entirely. Once again Jameer Nelson is out with an injury and is expected to miss a month. But hey, that happened last year and it didn't seem to phase the Magic very much. So where were we... Oh yes, Magic are back in town. Vince, Rashard, and Mickael are back. The Magic have won four straight. The Magic are rolling. The Magic just beat the Celtics. The Magic... are -3.5 favorites?!
-3.5 favorites?! Huh?! A team that was without Carter, Lewis and Pietrus were a bigger favorite than when they are in the lineup? I kno... [More]